Admn ropes in union leaders for spreading awareness on stubble burning

Mandi Ahmedgarh

The administration has launched a campaign to rope in leaders of various unions and organisations working for welfare of farmers to spread awareness about the need for shunning of stubble burning.

Responding to call given by the administration led by Deputy Commissioner Viraj S Tidkey, office-bearers and activists of various factions of Samyukt Kisan Morcha assured to further sensitise farmers about potential risks involved in disposal of agricultural wastes by burning.

Kewal Singh Bhari, Nirmal Singh Alipur, Charanjit Singh Hathan and Buta Khan, and office-bearers of various factions of Bhartiya Kisan Union lead activists during meetings held with senior functionaries of the administration today to discuss the issue.

Assistant Commissioner-cum-Mandi Ahmedgarh and Malerkotla SDM Gurmeet Bansal appreciated that leaders had responded positively to the initiative taken by the administration for ensuring zero tolerance towards stubble burning in all three subdivisions of Malerkotla district.

“Having received satisfactory response in workshops and seminars held at various villages we have launched a campaign to involve leaders of various kisan unions for minimising environmental degradation due to stubble burning,” said Bansal, claiming that all stakeholders were convinced that crop residue burning was not only an ecological anomaly, but an offence too.

Bansal said the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court of India were serious about implementation of the guidelines on the subject in letter and spirit. Imposition of fine and red entries in revenue records of wilful defaulters were cited among punitive actions.

Bansal said leaders of farmer outfits were assured that the administration would continue providing equipment and machinery required for undertaking alternative procedures for eco-friendly disposal of agricultural wastes including paddy stubble.

Appreciating gestures of the administration to persuade farmer union heads in preventing degradation of the environment, All India Kisan Sabha leader Baldev Singh Latala said office-bearers and activists of their outfit were already spreading awareness on the issue.